Speak up, curb pushy, misleading sales tactics

Given the stakes involved, I would encourage retailers to pay attention to a holiday shopping survey released recently by Consumer Reports.

Given the stakes involved, I would encourage retailers to pay attention to a holiday shopping survey released recently by Consumer Reports.

In its latest public-education campaign, the magazine is highlighting holiday retail practices that drive consumers bonkers.

"Shoppers are fed up with pushy retailing practices, and it is further magnified during the holiday season," said Tod Marks, senior projects editor for Consumer Reports. "Consumers are sick and tired of having to be bombarded with questions and offers when all they want to do is pay and leave the register."

Every complaint listed by Consumer Reports registered with me. And they might be true for you, too. Some of the annoyances, and my solution for how to deal with each one:

• Stores that don't open all the checkout lanes. With unemployment at double digits, why can't the stores hire enough cashiers to man the registers, at least during the busy times? At any rate, when I'm in a store and this happens, I search for a store manager and complain about the lack of cashiers. About half the time, the manager opens up a lane or two.

• Fake sales. This so steams me. Again, be aggressive. If you have proof that an item is selling for its normal retail price when it's supposed to be on sale, point it out to a manager and negotiate for a price reduction. If you don't get satisfaction from the store manager, write to the company headquarters and complain about the deception. You also should report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission. To file a complaint, go to www.ftc.gov or call 1-877 382-4357. You also might want to take a look at the FTC's pricing guidelines at www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/decptprc.htm.

• Coupons that exclude almost everything in the store. If you find this to be a regular thing, point it out to the manager before taking your business elsewhere.

• Being pestered with an extended-warranty sales pitch. "No" is a powerful word. I've found a firm no, along with that look your mama gave you when she wanted to stop you in your tracks, ends the hounding.

• In-store prices that do not match the same company's online prices. If you want to take advantage of the online price but avoid shipping fees, many retailers allow in-store pickups for Internet purchases.

• Employees up-selling at checkout. Up-selling means that they try to get you to buy more stuff. If you go to the store with a list and a vow to stick to it, you can resist this sales tactic. Be strong. Remember your budget.

• Pushing a store credit card. On this one, you definitely need to be strong. The typical 10 percent discount offered when opening an account can be tempting. Resist. Applying for the card will trigger an inquiry to a credit bureau, and that lowers your credit score.

• Mail-in rebates. It's so frustrating to get excited about an item on sale, only to realize the discount is tied to a rebate. Because this sales strategy isn't likely to go away, don't procrastinate. As soon as you get home from the store, mail in the rebate.

I know that hardworking, often-underpaid people at retail outlets do their best to serve with a smile and no attitude. But we're spending hard-earned dollars, and retailers should avoid annoying us.

Michelle Singletary writes for the Washington Post Writers Group.

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